woolson



March 8, 1932. 1.. M. WOOLSON 1,848,921

AIRSHIP Filed June 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I v g & gwuan coz LZUNEL MMULSEN Patented Mar, 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I LIONEL M.'WOOLSON, OF DE'1'ROIT, MTCHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY,OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORFORATION OF MICHIGAN AIRSHIP Applicationfiled June 19,

An object of my invention is to provide a rugged light weight aeroplanecapable of developing a high rate of speed. Another object of myinvention'is to provide an aeroplane structure in which the usualsupporting frame is eliminated.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide an aeroplane in whichthe power plant serves as the supporting member for the other elements.

Another object of my inventionis to provide an aeroplane in which thefuselage is attached to and entirely supported by the power plant.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane in whichthe wing structure and asssociated elements are supported by the powerplant.

A further object ofthe inventionis to pro-- vide an aeroplane in whichthe landing gear is attached to the power plant.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings. which form apart ofthis specification, and in which: Fig. 1 is a frontelevation of anaeroplane constructed in accordance with the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the front portion of the aeroplane;

Fig. 3 is a top plan .view of the aeroplane Fig. 4 is an enlarged planview of a fragmentary portion of the same;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one 'In the drawings, '10respresents generally the power plant of an aeroplane which in thisinstance is preferably of the radial type consisting of four banks 'ofnine longitudinally aligned cylinders 11 and a central crank case 12through which the crank shaft 13 extends. A propeller 14 is secured tothe forwardly projecting end of the crank shaft, or if desired it maycrank shaft.

The power plant illustrated is of the fourbe geared to be driven by the1929. Serial No. 371,987.

cycle Diesel type, however, other kinds of I aeroplane engines can beused if desired, and a radial type is not'requisite, however, it isdesirable in that the overall dimensions for a plurality of cylinders isthe minimum with the radial engine. A piston 15 is arranged toreciprocate in each, cylinder, and the pistons are connected with thecrank shaft by the connecting rods 16. The cylinder heads 17 areprovided with a single port 18 extending therethrough for'the intake ofair and the exhaust of burnt gases, suitable valves 19 controlling suchports and being actuated by rocklevers 20 arranged in housings 21associated with the cylinder heads. Such rock levers are actuated by therods22 reciprocated through suitable mechanism driven from the crankshaft. Liquid fuel injection devices, each consisting of a nozzlesection 23 and a pump section 24, are associated to spray liquid fuelinto the air charges compressed in the cylinder, such devices beingactuated by rods 25 driven through suitable mechanism from the crankshaft. It will be understood that the air and fuel are introduced intothe working chambers in the cylinders where they are mixed to formacombustion charge which is ignited by the heat of compression, or otherignition'means if desired. For further details of the operation of theengine herein ilustrated, attention is directed to my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 358,899 filed .April 29, 1929.

The power plant is utilized to serve, as the support for all otherelements comprising the aeroplane, and thereby eliminating the usualframe employed for this purpose. The rear end of the crank case isformed with an out-turned annular flange 26 to which the annular ring27, at the front, end of the fuselage 28, is secured by the bolts29. Thefuselage illustrated, other than the attaching ring described, is of theconventional designand a description thereof is not thought to benecessary to an understanding of the invention. It may be interesting tonote, however, that-suitable frame work extends rear-wardly from thering which is fastened to the engine.

The landing gear is also attached to and supported entirely by the powerplant. To

this end I form two of the heads of the cylinders 11 with brackets 30,the lower ends of 33, and the junction portion ofthe struts provide hubs34 for carrying the axle 35 upon which is carried the wheels 36.

The wings, with their associated elements, are attached directly to andsupported by the power plant. The wings are indicated at 37, and exceptfor the mounting features they are of the type usually employed withmonoplanes. The ends of the wings structures, adjacent the engine, arebifurcated and fastened to a projecting bracket 38, formed with two ofthe cylinder heads, by the bolts 39 or other suitable fastening means. IWires 40 and 41 are provided to support the outer end of the wings, thewire 40 being secured to brackets 42 formed on two of the upper cylinderheads, while the other end of such wires is fastened to the outer end ofthe wing, turnbuckles 43 being provided to create the desired tension.The wires 41 are secured at one end to flanges 44 extending from thenuts securing the landing wheels upon the axle, and the other ends aresecured to the outer end of the Wings, turnbuckles 45 being employed toplace such wires under the desired tension. The rear portion of thewings are supported from the engine by the V- shaped struts 46, the endsof which are secured to the ring 26 of the engine by the bolts 47 and33. The struts have a hub portion 48 which is secured to the bifurcatedportion 49 of the wing structure by the bolts 50.

The cylinders extend into the crank case and are secured rigidlytherewith by the circular compression rings 51, such securing meansbeing the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No.287,963, filed June 25, 1928.

It will be seen that I have provided a skeleton aeroplane structurehaving an engine capable of developing high horse power, and that, withthe manner of attaching the elements, results in a Very light weighthigh speed structure. Thus, in addition to simplifying the structure, ahigher rate of speed can be developed through reduction in weight perhorse power developed by the engine.

Various changes in the details of attachment of the elements comprisingthe aeroplane illustrated and described can be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention and the scope of what I claim.

.What I claim is: I

1. In an aeroplane, an engine and fuselage, said fuselage being attachedto and entirely carried by said engine.

2. In an aeroplane, an engine and wings,

said wings being carried entirely by said engine.

3. A skeleton aeroplane for developing high speeds comprising an engine,landing gear, wings and fuselage, said gear, wings and fuselage beingcarried entirely by the engine. Y

4. In an aeroplane, an engine, wing structures attached to the engine,and wing control wires carried by the engine and extending to the wings.

5. In an aeroplane, an engine having a plurality of cylinders, andlanding gear supported directly from some of said cylinders.

,6. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including a plurality ofcylinders and cylinder heads, and landing gear supported from some ofthe cylinder heads.

7. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including a plurality ofcylinders and cylinder heads, some of said heads having bracketsprojecting therefrom, and landing gear supported from the cylinder headbrackets.

8. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including a plurality ofcylinders and cylinder heads, some of said heads having projectingbrackets, struts secured to said brackets, and landing gear secured tosaid struts.

9. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including a crank case andcylinders, and landing gear supported partly by the crank case andpartly by some of the cylinders.

10. In anaeroplane, an engine structure including a crank case andcylinders, struts, some of said struts being secured to some of thecylinders and other of said struts being secured to the crank case, andlanding gear carried by the struts.

11. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including cylinders andcylinder heads, and wing structures secured to some of the cylinderheads.

12. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including cylinders, and wingstructures secured to some of said cylinders.

13. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including cylinders andcylinder heads, brackets extending from some of the cylinder heads, andwing structures secured to said brackets.

14. In an aeroplane, an engine structure including cylinders and a crankcase, wing structures, and connecting means between the wing structuresand said cylinders and said crank case.

15. In an aeroplane, an engine, and a fuselage secured integrally to oneend of the engine, a wing structure partly secured directly to theengine, and fastening means for the wing structure extending through aportion of the fuselage and engaging the engine.

16. In an aeroplane, a radial engine including a crank case andcylinders, a fuselage secured directly to the rear end of the crankcase, landing gear including struts secured directly cran tosaidcylindersand crank case, and win s secured directly tosaid cylinder'andcase. v 17. In an aeroplane, a multi-bank radial engine includingcylinders and a crank case,

, wings attached directly to certain heads of said cylinders, and wingcontrol wires car-- ried directly by certain of-the heads 'of saidcylinders. Y I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LIONEL M. WOOLSON.

